Vancouver Symphony Orchestra hosts rising conductor Karl Hirzer in Land of Winter, January 16

The up-and-coming artist is former associate conductor with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

By Gail Johnson

Karl Hirzer.

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents Land of Winter on January 16 at 7:30 pm at the Annex

WHEN VANCOUVER SYMPHONY Orchestra performs its upcoming Land of Winter program, it will host conductor Karl Hirzer, a rising talent on the international stage.

Formerly associate conductor with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Hirzer has been guest conductor with the Szczecin Philharmonic in Poland, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Regina Symphony Orchestra and is a regular guest conductor with the contemporary group Land’s End Ensemble.

American composer John Corigliano praised a collaboration with Land’s End for a performance of his song cycle Mr. Tambourine Man, stating: “Mr. Hirzer brought a combination of detailed accuracy and intense musical feeling to the work, resulting in an absolutely marvelous performance.”

Hirzer has also worked with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and more. He was recently on faculty as conductor and chamber coach at the 22nd Morningside Music Bridge program in Warsaw, Poland.

Trained as a pianist, Hirzer holds a bachelor’s degree in performance from the University of Victoria and a master’s degree from McGill University as well as an associate diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, obtained at age 17.

The VSO performance takes its name from a mesmerizing suite by Donnacha Dennehy. Land of Winter takes listeners on a journey through the sonic textures of Ireland’s changing seasons, presented in 12 interconnected sections that represent the months of the year. The Guardian has described Dennehy’s music as “thrilling” while the New Yorker called it “arrestingly beautiful”.

The evening also features two works by Canadian composers: Zosha Di Castri’s Cortège, which won the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music in 2012; and Michael Oesterle’s work for chamber orchestra, Annus Mirabilis, a musical tribute to 1905, which was the “year of miracles” for Albert Einstein, a time when he reached so many milestones.  

---

Related Articles